03 February, 2009

The 2009 North American Handmade Bicycle Show, to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, February 27 – March 1, 2009. If you want to see the work of, and chat with, some of the very best frame builders in the world this is definitely the place to be.

Velo Orange will be in attending as a component manufacturer; we have a double width booth. While we will bring a few complete bikes, most of our display will consist of Velo Orange and Grand Cru components including racks, stems, BBs, brakes, luggage, etc. But we won't be bringing any items to sell.

Since when is Velo Orange a manufacturer? I'd say they are a retailer, they look a lot more like Walmart than SRAM - they decide what they want and then hire some Pacific rim manufacturers to make it or they just redistribute somebody elses already branded product.

Show me me the machine shop or the foundry....

This isn't slamming them or anything, but it does make me wonder a little seeing them claim to be a manufacturer.

Grand Bois sure doesn't roll their own $70 singlewall rims, cheap alloy handlebars (dim fong or whoever it is in PRC) or overpriced tires (Panaracer), which are most likeley made in Korea- another communist/socialist country that is stealing jobs in Japan.

Most bike and component companies including Surly, Soma, Rivendell, Planet Bike, FSA, etc, have all of their parts and frames made by independent factories in Asia. Even Campy outsources much of their production to China. For Shimano it's Malaysia. MKS gets some pedals made in Taiwan. That globalization and it's reality.

Actually it was the show's organizer who asked us to come as a component manufacturer. After all, frames account for about 2% of our business while VO and Grand Cru components account for over 50%.

In my last business I owned what was essentially a small factory. This time I see the wisdom of allowing specialty manufacturers to do what they do best. Imagine setting up a plant that could forge stems, machine BBs and headsets, TIG weld and braze frames, and sew leather and canvas bags. Even Shimano can't do all that on site.

I already have my hotel reservation and Amtrak tickets. I have been buying from VO since the days when Chris was still sourcing lovely NOS French parts like Pelissier. Look forward to seeing the display.

There has been a fair amount of sniping - especially from the West Coast frame makers - about the choice of Indianapolis for the show. Along with some good builders in Indiana and nearby states, Indiana, especially south of Indianapolis, has some very nice riding. A lot of decent, lightly traveled farm roads passing through rolling hills and river valleys. The locals tend to be reserved but friendly. The rides I have taken down there I have never had to deal with any hostile drivers.

Anon 9:19, if I understand you, you're saying that a company must own the factory where raw materials are brought in one door, and finished products out the other, right? And all those employees are on that company's payroll?

I might add "assembler" to your list, much as Boeing now largely assembles parts made all over the place, rather than producing them from raw materials in house.

More of a general question:As an example, what about Phil Wood to not actually making their bearings? ("manufactured for us to our specifications" says the website) They make everything else, is a bearing a "raw material", a sub-assembly, or just another re-branded product?

I see this "manufactured to our design and specifications"(and it's implied not sold anywhere else to this design or spec) a lot when it comes to bike parts, be it VO pedals or Specialized carbon frames.

I'm delighted that the Handmade Bike Show is in Indy this year,in "the heart of the heart of the country".Sorry to hear that the California builders have decided to hold their own little show now too.. I hope it won't detract from the big one. We're planning to make a week-end of it.Doug WagnerRichmond,KY

The genius in bike building is not in coming up with some new bike configuration - the bike has not changed substantively since the turn of the last century. Nearly every possible innovation has been tried. Many things that draw oohs and aahhs at shows have been done years before.

Rather, the point of the show is to see how well the builder files the lugs, fillet brazes or makes the weld, along with proportion and geometry of the bike.

Chris, Indianapolis is looking forward to showing you and Tom a great time. We are dressing up the Art Bike show in Fountain Square for the apres show events as well. Come ready for a great time. Same to everyone else.